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your guide

to breast augmentation

Actual Natrelle INSPIRA® patient.

Individual results may vary.

When is it TIME to ask about having a breast augmentation?

You're a woman who's looking for a change.

Perhaps you weren’t born with the breast shape or size you wanted, or factors like time, weight loss, or pregnancy caused other changes.

You’re a woman whose breasts have changed after having children.

If your breasts have lost volume after childbirth, you’re not alone! Breast implants can give you a fuller look. If your breasts are sagging, your surgeon may recommend a lift in addition to augmentation.

You’re a woman who isn’t happy with her current breast implants.

There are several reasons you may need a breast revision, size is just one of them.

Maybe your breasts have changed over time, or perhaps the implants that fit you at age 22 are too small, large, or just not right anymore.

What’s it really like to live with breast implants?

What to expect before surgery

Consultation

Many women start their surgical journey by talking to a friend or a relative who has already had a breast augmentation. While these are all good places to start, your most valuable resource is a personal consultation with a plastic surgeon.

A consultation doesn’t take long, and with an expert’s opinion, you’ll be better able to understand the benefits, risks, and discover which implant options are best for you and your body.

Download the Natrelle® Consultation Checklist and Natrelle® Augmentation Guide to prepare for your consultation

Checklist Guide

Which topics should you talk about with your surgeon?

incision placement

There are 3 common incision sites in breast augmentation surgery. Talk to your surgeon about the best one for you.

implant placement

The breast implant can be placed under the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular) or on top of the muscle and under the breast gland (subglandular). Your surgeon will determine which site is best for your body type.

Submuscular placement

Surgery may be longer
Recovery may be longer
May be more painful post surgery
Reoperation may be more difficult
Implants may be less palpable
May ease imaging during mammography exam
May be preferable if you have thin or weakened breast tissue

Subglandular placement

Surgery may be shorter
Recovery may be shorter
May be less painful
May provide easier access for reoperation
More palpable implants
Greater likelihood of capsular contracture
More difficult imaging during mammography exam

cost

Breast augmentation costs can vary quite a bit based on the surgeon’s experience, the type and cost of breast implants that you choose, and where you live.

Your surgical costs may include

Anesthesia fees
Hospital or surgical facility costs
Medical tests
Postsurgery garments

Prescriptions for medication
Surgeon's fees
Cost of the breast implants

Many plastic surgeons offer financing plans,
so be sure to ask your surgeon about this option.

What to expect during surgery

Knowing what to expect before you go into surgery
helps to make it a much smoother experience.

The pre-op appointment

Before surgery, you will meet with your surgeon to discuss the procedure, sign consent forms, and receive prescriptions to fill after your surgery. Use this opportunity to confirm which Natrelle® implant you have chosen.

The day of surgery

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. A top that zips or with buttons in the front is ideal. Wear comfortable, slip-on shoes and cotton socks. Avoid wearing makeup, jewelry, contact lenses, and hair clips.

The procedure

Breast implant surgery usually lasts 1 to several hours depending on the incision, implant, and personal circumstances. Your surgeon will be able to give you a better estimate during your pre-op appointment.

Support after surgery

You may have to stay overnight, but if you can go home, arrange for a close friend or family member to take you home after the procedure and stay with you for a night or two. Having help around the house after surgery makes a positive difference.

What to expect after surgery

Recovery

As every patient and procedure is different, there is no set time for recovery. Talk with your surgeon so you know what to expect.

Your breasts will be wrapped in gauze dressing, and an elastic bandage or support bra may be used to support your breasts as they heal.

Soreness, bruising, and swelling are all likely. Make sure you follow your surgeon’s instructions and take any prescribed medications.

Life with breast implants

You’re healed and loving your new look. What now? Here’s what
you need to know about living with breast implants.

Is my surgeon familiar with GUMMY implants?

Answer

Many plastic surgeons are familiar with gummy (cohesive gel) breast implants. Natrelle® is a well-known and trusted implant brand, so ask for Natrelle® by name.

Question

What SHOULD I KNOW before getting breast implants?

Following breast augmentation, you should continue to check your breasts and breast implants.

With breast implants, a routine-screening mammography and self-examinations for breast cancer will be more difficult. Ask your doctor to help you distinguish the implant from your breast tissue.

Rupture of a silicone-filled breast implant is most often silent and may not be detected by you or your doctor. You should have an MRI 3 years after your surgery and then every 2 years after that for as long as you have your breast implants to determine if rupture is present. If implant rupture is noted on an MRI, you should have the implant removed, with or without replacement.

WILL I be able to breastfeed with implants?

Answer

Every woman's experience may be different. Be sure to talk to your plastic surgeon about breastfeeding with implants.

Please see IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION.

Question

DO I need to have my implants monitored long-term?

If you have silicone-filled breast implants, the FDA recommends periodic MRI examinations in order to detect ruptures that do not cause symptoms (“silent ruptures”). For early detection of a silent rupture, you should receive MRI screenings 3 years after your augmentation and every 2 years after that.

Natrelle® Breast Implants Important Information

SEE MORE +

Natrelle® Breast Implants Important Information

Who may get breast implants?
Natrelle® Breast Implants are approved for women for the following:

Breast augmentation for women at least 22 years old for silicone-filled implants. Breast augmentation for women at least 18 years old for saline-filled implants. Breast augmentation includes primary breast augmentation to increase breast size, as well as revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast augmentation surgery.
Breast reconstruction. Breast reconstruction includes primary reconstruction to replace breast tissue that has been removed due to cancer or trauma or that has failed to develop properly due to a severe breast abnormality. Breast reconstruction also includes revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast reconstruction surgery.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Who should NOT get breast implants?

Women with active infection anywhere in their body.
Women with existing cancer or precancer of their breast who have not received adequate treatment for those conditions.
Women who are currently pregnant or nursing.

What should I know before getting breast implants?

Breast implants are not lifetime devices, and not necessarily a one-time surgery.
Many of the changes to your breasts following implantation cannot be undone. If you later choose to have your implant(s) removed and not replaced, you may experience unacceptable dimpling, puckering, wrinkling, or other cosmetic changes of the breast, which may be permanent.
Breast implants may affect your ability to breastfeed, either by reducing or eliminating milk production.
Rupture of a silicone-filled breast implant is most often silent and may not be detected by you or your doctor. You should have an MRI 3 years after your surgery and then every 2 years after that for as long as you have your breast implants to determine if rupture is present. If implant rupture is noted on an MRI, you should have the implant removed, with or without replacement.
With breast implants, a routine screening mammography and self-examinations for breast cancer will be more difficult. Ask your doctor to help you distinguish the implant from your breast tissue. Symptoms of a ruptured implant may be hard knots or lumps surrounding the implant or in the armpit, change or loss of size or shape of the breast or implant, pain, tingling, swelling, numbness, burning, or hardening. Tell your doctor of these symptoms and remove ruptured implants.
Inform any other doctor who treats you of the presence of your implants to minimize the risk of damage to the implants.

What should I tell my doctor?
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions, as the risks of breast implant surgery may be higher:

Autoimmune diseases (for example, lupus and scleroderma).
A weakened immune system (for example, currently taking drugs that weaken the body’s natural resistance to disease).
Planned chemotherapy following breast implant placement.
Planned radiation therapy to the breast following breast implant placement.
Conditions or medications that interfere with wound healing and blood clotting.
Reduced blood supply to breast tissue.
Clinical diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders. Please discuss any history of mental health disorders with your surgeon prior to surgery. Patients with a diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders should wait for resolution or stabilization of these conditions prior to undergoing breast implantation surgery.

What are some complications with breast implants?
Key complications are reoperation, implant removal with or without replacement, implant rupture with silicone-filled implants, implant deflation with saline-filled implants, and severe capsular contracture (severe scar tissue around the implant). Other complications include asymmetry, nipple/breast/skin sensation changes, scarring, or wrinkling/rippling. Talk to your doctor about other complications.

What is BIA-ALCL?
Breast Implant–Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer of the immune system). While uncommon, BIA-ALCL has been associated with silicone and saline breast implants. In most cases, BIA-ALCL is found in the scar tissue and fluid near the implant, but in some cases, it can spread throughout the body. In most cases it is treated successfully with surgery to remove the implant and surrounding scar tissue, and in some patients, also treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. BIA-ALCL is most commonly associated with textured implants. If you are experiencing symptoms of persistent swelling, the presence of a mass, or pain in the area of an implant months or years after your implant surgery, please contact your healthcare provider.

Talk to your doctor. For more information see the patient brochures at www.allergan.com/products. To report a problem with Natrelle® Breast Implants, please call Allergan at 1-800-433-8871.

Natrelle® Breast Implants are available by prescription only.

Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders Important Information

Approved Uses
Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders are approved for breast reconstruction following mastectomy, treatment of underdeveloped breasts, and treatment of soft tissue deformities.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Who should NOT get tissue expanders?
Do not use if you:

Already have implanted devices that would be affected by a magnetic field.
Have tissue unsuitable for expansion.
Have an active infection or a residual gross tumor at the expansion site.
Are undergoing adjuvant radiation therapy.
Have a physiological condition (eg, obesity, smoking, diabetes, autoimmune disease, hypertension, chronic lung or severe cardiovascular disease, or osteogenesis imperfecta) or use certain drugs (including those that interfere with blood clotting or affect tissue viability) that may result in a high risk of surgical and/or postoperative complications.

What else should I consider?

Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders should NOT be used in patients who already have implanted devices that would be affected by a magnetic field.
Active infection anywhere may increase risk of infection around the tissue expander. Certain infections may require premature removal of the device.
Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders are temporary devices and are not to be used for permanent implantation or beyond 6 months. Tissue expansion in breast reconstruction typically requires 4 months to 6 months.

What are possible complications?
Deflation, tissue damage and/or appearance of the implant through the skin, infection, unwanted shape, unintended blood or fluid collection, capsular contracture (tightening of scar tissue that causes the breast to harden), premature device removal, bone/pain/sensation changes, and inflammation.

For more information, please visit www.allergan.com/products. To report a problem with Natrelle®, please call Allergan at 1-800-433-8871.

Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders are available by prescription only.

Approved Uses
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet lines, and frown lines between the eyebrows in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, and/or forehead lines.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported. They include: itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including: plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; have trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby); are breast-feeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include: dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of your eyelids and dry eyes.

For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

To report a side effect, please call Allergan at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Product Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

Natrelle® Breast Implants Important Information

SEE MORE +

Natrelle® Breast Implants Important Information

Who may get breast implants?
Natrelle® Breast Implants are approved for women for the following:

Breast augmentation for women at least 22 years old for silicone-filled implants. Breast augmentation for women at least 18 years old for saline-filled implants. Breast augmentation includes primary breast augmentation to increase breast size, as well as revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast augmentation surgery.
Breast reconstruction. Breast reconstruction includes primary reconstruction to replace breast tissue that has been removed due to cancer or trauma or that has failed to develop properly due to a severe breast abnormality. Breast reconstruction also includes revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast reconstruction surgery.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Who should NOT get breast implants?

Women with active infection anywhere in their body.
Women with existing cancer or precancer of their breast who have not received adequate treatment for those conditions.
Women who are currently pregnant or nursing.

What should I know before getting breast implants?

Breast implants are not lifetime devices, and not necessarily a one-time surgery.
Many of the changes to your breasts following implantation cannot be undone. If you later choose to have your implant(s) removed and not replaced, you may experience unacceptable dimpling, puckering, wrinkling, or other cosmetic changes of the breast, which may be permanent.
Breast implants may affect your ability to breastfeed, either by reducing or eliminating milk production.
Rupture of a silicone-filled breast implant is most often silent and may not be detected by you or your doctor. You should have an MRI 3 years after your surgery and then every 2 years after that for as long as you have your breast implants to determine if rupture is present. If implant rupture is noted on an MRI, you should have the implant removed, with or without replacement.
With breast implants, a routine screening mammography and self-examinations for breast cancer will be more difficult. Ask your doctor to help you distinguish the implant from your breast tissue. Symptoms of a ruptured implant may be hard knots or lumps surrounding the implant or in the armpit, change or loss of size or shape of the breast or implant, pain, tingling, swelling, numbness, burning, or hardening. Tell your doctor of these symptoms and remove ruptured implants.
Inform any other doctor who treats you of the presence of your implants to minimize the risk of damage to the implants.

What should I tell my doctor?
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions, as the risks of breast implant surgery may be higher:

Autoimmune diseases (for example, lupus and scleroderma).
A weakened immune system (for example, currently taking drugs that weaken the body’s natural resistance to disease).
Planned chemotherapy following breast implant placement.
Planned radiation therapy to the breast following breast implant placement.
Conditions or medications that interfere with wound healing and blood clotting.
Reduced blood supply to breast tissue.
Clinical diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders. Please discuss any history of mental health disorders with your surgeon prior to surgery. Patients with a diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders should wait for resolution or stabilization of these conditions prior to undergoing breast implantation surgery.

Talk to your doctor. For more information see the patient brochures at www.allergan.com/products. To report a problem with Natrelle® Breast Implants, please call Allergan at 1-800-433-8871.

Natrelle® Breast Implants are available by prescription only.

Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders Important Information

Approved Uses
Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders are approved for breast reconstruction following mastectomy, treatment of underdeveloped breasts, and treatment of soft tissue deformities.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Who should NOT get tissue expanders?
Do not use if you:

Already have implanted devices that would be affected by a magnetic field.
Have tissue unsuitable for expansion.
Have an active infection or a residual gross tumor at the expansion site.
Are undergoing adjuvant radiation therapy.
Have a physiological condition (eg, obesity, smoking, diabetes, autoimmune disease, hypertension, chronic lung or severe cardiovascular disease, or osteogenesis imperfecta) or use certain drugs (including those that interfere with blood clotting or affect tissue viability) that may result in a high risk of surgical and/or postoperative complications.

What else should I consider?

Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders should NOT be used in patients who already have implanted devices that would be affected by a magnetic field.
Active infection anywhere may increase risk of infection around the tissue expander. Certain infections may require premature removal of the device.
Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders are temporary devices and are not to be used for permanent implantation or beyond 6 months. Tissue expansion in breast reconstruction typically requires 4 months to 6 months.

For more information, please visit www.allergan.com/products. To report a problem with Natrelle®, please call Allergan at 1-800-433-8871.

Natrelle® 133S Smooth Tissue Expanders are available by prescription only.

Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, and/or forehead lines.

For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

To report a side effect, please call Allergan at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Product Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.